Diwali 2013

It may be technically the Celebration of Lights in theory, but in reality it is really loud!  This is my second Diwali celebration. Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, we enjoyed fireworks every 4th of July.  In addition to the grand fireworks display over the East River, which were spectacular, every neighborhood had their own local bottle rockets, fire crackers, and sparklers. This is a whole other dimension.

A Touch of the Old Days

From The first night that I confronted a foot-long lizard on the ceiling of my shower room, to cows, goats and roosters roaming the streets,  I’ve known that this is a different place from any other that I've lived in.

Vagabonding -- Remember Rule 1

I had no expectations of India.  But I did have an agenda, and most importantly in doing so, forgot the first rule of travel:  never set a firm agenda.  From the moment I landed I was counting the days until I would depart. That was my first error.

The Places We Love and The Places We Find

Having been lucky and adventurous enough to live in several countries, I've had many people ask me "What is your favorite home," "Why did you love it"? There are some places that I loved from the moment I arrived; an energy immediately pulsed through me and connected me to the heart of the place. Other places I had to discover over the course of time.

Shivansamudra on Two Wheels

Our little adventure began at 5:00AM – then again, waking up at 5:00 AM was more of a nightmare for me than an adventure, and we had a 3 hour drive ahead of us. I had only fallen asleep at 4:30 AM. But I awoke, bathed, got dressed and met with others from our small motorcycle group out in front of the house. Rajeev emerged from the house last, big surprise, and we left by 6:00 AM.

We followed Rajeev-- the Kamikaze biker -- as we snaked our way through the back streets, shooting between and around the few cars and trucks we encountered, en route to the prearranged spot on Kanakputra Road where we would meet up with Kiran and Nishanth.

The Garbage Dilemma

Last year when the city garbage collection was on strike, I posted a story about the problem, when the press was calling Bangalore as Garbage City.  But the strike wasn't the problem, not really.

Daybreak in the Jungle of Bangalore

It is 5:30 AM and I've been up all night drinking whiskey with Rajeev -- and chatting on Facebook with Disha in Africa, Jim in Mexico, others right here in Bangalore India and talking with Steve in NYC. Then something interesting happened.

80 Million At the Ganges

Though I am temporarily back in New York City, I'm still tethered to India in some way; suddenly I notice things, or take interest in things about India or its culture that would have previously not grabbed my interest. Living there has somehow connected my spiritually to this exotic land.  my soul, as I prepare to head back there at the end of the month.

The Magic of Snow

I've been in India for six months, and its been an interesting and enjoyable stay.